The Role of Magazines in Socializing Men and Women
Socialization is the process through which we
learn the values, beliefs, and the norms of our culture, as well as develop
our own sense of self (Gibson 1/10/02). In the past, learning "what's appropriate"
occurred with the influence of friends, students, employees, parents, and the
church. Now, the media's social influence is increasing, and it encourages specific
language, dress style, behavior, attitudes, and values. Magazines, like Cosmo
Girl and Maxim, appeal to adolescent girls and boys and promote particular messages
about issues such as body image, sexuality, and materialism.
Media products play a tremendous role in the
socialization of adolescents because they are influential on many levels. Magazines,
for example, are sold nationwide, and appeal to a range of ages. For young women,
titles like Cosmo Girl, Seventeen, and YM gear towards white, middle class,
well dressed, thin, attractive, heterosexual girls. Advertisements and editorial
copy encourage these themes through sexual undertones and topics relating to
makeup, sexy bodies, and boy problems. For young men, the idea is similar, outlining
the importance of a perfect body, the right "toys," and the proper
way to appreciate a woman. However, a greater emphasis is placed on sex and
drug use in men's magazines than in women's. Many magazines, more female titles
than men, are working to overcome these criticisms, but in an analysis between
recent issues of Cosmo Girl, and Maxim, not much seems to have changed.
Magazines like Cosmo Girl represent a specific
type of body image. Similar to most advertisements in the fashion industry,
those featured in Cosmo Girl picture tall, extremely thin models, often posed
in romantic or seductive positions. Although the advertisements fit the fashion
world norm, the example set for adolescent girls says this is what beauty looks
like. One advertisement for Buffalo jeans (26) shows a slender model that exhibits
confidence through her sexuality and bared midriff. In another, for Ralph Lauren
(25), the photograph portrays a beautiful, young, flat-chested model in the
arms of a dark haired, handsome, man. Although the advertisement depicts romance
as a quality of their new fragrance "Ralph," it also tells young women
that the model is an example of what an attractive boy desires in a girl. Within
the magazine itself, one feature article entitled, "The Real World"
(132), photographs, "real girls in the latest styles," but even these
"real girls," are photogenic and extremely skinny. Simply labeling
these young women as "normal," raises a high standard that most ordinary
girls cannot live up to.
Obviously, for men, the desired body type is
different than for girls, but Maxim pursues it in the same relentless manner
as Cosmo Girl. Based on the advertisements and editorial, men should be white,
muscular, but not too strong, well dressed, but easy going, and have chiseled
features beneath perfect, ungroomed hair. In another Ralph Lauren advertisement
(6), for example, the model personifies youth, good looks, excellent taste,
and confidence. Pictured at the beach, the photograph suggests he has the money
for leisure time. In another advertisement promoting Nivea face wash (21), the
freshly showered man, again, is young, handsome, and happy after using his new
exfoliating face soap. The advertisement appeals to a man's "masculinity"
by using words like "gritty" and "scrub," to emphasize the
products toughness, implying a man can by manly and use face wash. One of Maxim's
articles, "Splash Down!" (135), photographs men as well, but again,
they are all white, thin, muscular, and chiseled. The number of articles and
advertisements within the magazine that exhibit these qualities successfully
convinces readers that the models exhibit the "look" of an ideal man.
Unfortunately, many of the goals are unrealistic, and do not represent the male
population as a whole.
Sexuality is another strong message within the
advertisements and editorial copy of magazines. In Cosmo Girl, more than ten
articles discuss either boy problems, or how to impress boys. The topics discussed
range from "How to Deal…when a guy pushes you to have sex" (96),
to "Boy-o-Meter: Rate this Guy" (40). These articles not only encourage
romantic interaction with the male sex, but also neglect to discuss any other
type of sexual orientation. One article, "Listen Up" (94), gives the
story of a bisexual girl, but it discusses her need for acceptance instead of
the importance of simply recognizing we are not all the same. Expecting Cosmo
Girl to take a stance in the sexual debate may be too much to ask, but at a
time when young girls are so impressionable, it is important to inform them
that heterosexuality is not the only view adolescent girls represent.
Although Maxim is written for an older age group,
the amount of sexual content is significantly greater. First, in contrast to
Cosmo Girl, which generally features popular female icons on their cover, Maxim
photographs scantily clad, trendy women in sexual poses for their cover shoot,
instead of current male figures. The February issue is a swimsuit issue, which
boasts, "Hot, Wet, and Bee-Yoo-Tiful!" And, although only two articles
are devoted specifically to "understanding" women, there is a sexual
undercurrent throughout the magazine. Almost every photograph of a female shows
a tan, large breasted woman in a bikini (98), regardless of what context the
article is in, and the writers continually use sexual innuendos. For example,
to describe the quality of the Hewlett-Packard Photosmart 100, the phrase "homemade
porn ready to be shared with friends and family," was used. Although Maxim's
target audience is older than Cosmo Girl's their portrayal of the female sex
is inaccurate and derogatory. Instead of encouraging men to value women, or
admitting one does not have to be with a girl to be masculine, Maxim describes
women as sexual objects and promotes readers to appreciate them accordingly.
Another value that both Maxim and Cosmo Girl
encourage is materialism. In Cosmo Girl, articles and advertisements offer make
up ideas and new apparel trends, both of which require money. Titles like "the
hottest tops this summer," and "371ways to look HOT this spring,"
foster materialism because readers believe acquiring the "look" is
the only way to fit in. However, these looks are not cheap. Although editors
offer a page of skirts for twenty dollars, many clothing items photographed
in the magazine cost hundreds of dollars. Advertisements demonstrate materialism
more bluntly, and bombard the reader with what lipstick, like "Maybelline,"
or designer is now popular. In Maxim, the copy encourages materialism in the
same way. Advertisements for clothing lines and new cars appeal to a man's sensibility.
Subaru, for example, claims, "The new WRX doesn't just hug curves. It throws
them in a headlock and gives them a noogie" (2-3). Another article, "Top
Gear" (156), highlights the best male "toys" of the month, featuring
expensive items like a subwoofer, a massage chair, and top of the line paintball
gun. The emphasis placed on "necessary" objects encourages materialism
and allows magazine readers to justify their spending because it is the "cool"
thing to do.
Both Cosmo Girl and Maxim encourage particular
body types, sexual behaviors, and materialism through emphasis placed on these
messages within the advertisements and editorial copy found in the magazine.
However, Cosmo Girl represents young, beautiful, thin girls, with an interest
in cute boys, and the latest styles, while Maxim portrays young, muscular, white
men, with an intense sexual drive, and desire for large breasted women and new
"toys". Magazines are increasingly influential because of their national
recognition and attention to popular icons of the day. However, as magazine's
socializing influence increases, their messages become more widely accepted,
and adolescent girls and young men will look to issues of Cosmo Girl and Maxim
to answer their questions about sex, health, and love, instead of their parents
or a trusted friend.